One time, I got to hang out with Ryan Adams. Hanging out is a strong term, I was present while he was hanging out with a group of people. I don't think Ryan Adams could pick me out of a line-up of frogs and cats as a face he'd been introduced to. But I got this amazing impression of Ryan as someone who is both incredibly insecure beyond measure, and also absurdly confident. Like he was constantly battling with the question, "Who is Ryan Adams?" as other people pose it, and more than super humanly positive that he was the only one who was gonna answer that question.

Well, he's got an answer for the next little while. If I was Ryan Adams, I'd introduce myself like this, "Hi, I'm Ryan Adams. Perhaps you've heard of me? I'm Willie Nelson's motherfucking producer."

Photo Location

Today, Billboard announced that Ryan took care of production duties on Willie Nelson's forthcoming LP Songbird. The album is due this Halloween, which will probably spark a few Willie Nelson / Ryan Adams his 'n hers costumes.

This also means that Ryan has probably gotten to smoke weed with Willie Nelson, which is probably on most rockstars' things to do before you die list, right after date Winona Ryder.

With Ryan at the helm of the Songbird ship it was only natural that the Cardinals provided accompaniment for Mr. Nelson.

Here is the tracklist:

You can catch Willie on tour: